Whenever a Rockstar Games product shows up on a Nintendo console, it's always a bit of a novelty. The decidedly adult-aimed games' presence on a traditionally kid-friendly outlet seems incongruous.
Like most of its predecessors that have carved out the oddball path, "Red Dead Redemption" trots along with charm and guilty-pleasure pomp. The game's 2018 prequel may be roundly agreed upon as the superior, but the sense of free-wheeling fun in the 2010 original makes it the one that's more fun to pick up and play in short, nostalgic spurts.
While the prequel boasts the fine grain and introspection of a John Ford film, John Marston's lonesome, revenge-fueled Wild West odyssey has the easygoing pizzazz of a spaghetti Western. Its villains are more outrageous, its missions more ludicrous and gameplay more arcadey. Despite its mature trappings, it's an excellent choice for a Switch port.
With load times that seem quicker and crisper visuals than the creaky Xbox 360/PS3 origins, "Red Dead Redemption 2" hums along in a more accessible and enjoyable version than its older counterpart.
While the $50 asking price may be steep, the opportunity to take the game with you wherever you go is an opportunity too good to pass up.
Add in that the zombie-driven DLC, "Undead Nightmare" is included, and you've got a deal more appealing than a huckster hocking snake oil on a wooden crate. Whenever the "Red Dead Redemption" itch creeps back into my saddle, this is the version that will be my ride or die.
Like a veteran who's coming off an injury-beleaguered season that came up short of expectations, "Madden NFL 24" is looking to reclaim its throne as the king of the sports game landscape with the lumbering, fist-pumping authority of cover store Josh Allen.
With refined mechanics, slick animations and enhanced presentation, "Madden NFL 24" seems well-suited to accomplish its goals both on-field and off, and also boasts a bravado and chip on its shoulder. It's been years since a Madden released seemed so explosive and free-wheeling. That's largely due to the game's new bones, which are built on a tech suite called SAPIEN.
There's a refreshed and revitalized feel to the core gameplay. The FieldSENSE gameplay, which allows AI to smooth out rough edges and guide decisions to reflect the genuine tendencies of teams and players.
While nearly every mode has gotten wholesale improvements, I found the biggest upgrades in the card-based fantasy football sim, Madden Ultimate Team. A newfound sense of momentum helps sink you deep into the flow of tinkering with and upgrading your squad, thanks to a restructured menu flow and a steady drip of incremental challenges that give you reason to return again and again.
On the field, the passing and pass defense games have gotten the most care. Quarterback improvisation is rewarded with more angles and fewer scripted defensive maneuvers, and a buffed-up bump-and-run and suite of zone coverage options makes you feel more in control when you're on the defensive end.
The ongoing game of cat and mouse between mobile quarterbacks and edge rushers and linebackers who blitz or drop back into coverage is tantalizingly realistic, all buzzing around with refreshed animations, including 1,700 alone dedicated to tackling.
The addition of MUT crossplay among the PS5, Xbox X/S and PC platforms is also appealing, making it less of a stressor to coordinate with your friends before deciding which system to buy the game on, while stretching the base of the multiplayer community to its maximum.
While initial impressions may be sparkling, it will be in that multiplayer arena where the game is truly tested. The ongoing months of developer responses to community demands will spell out the final judgment of the game's success. After all, everyone has a plan until someone hits you in the facemask. At least this version of Madden feels ready for the inevitable collision of lofty expectationa with harah reality.
Methodical and introspective, "Kentucky Route Zero" has captivated indie audiences since its original act released in 2011. That audience expanded considerably in 2020 when "TV edition opened the doorway to consoles, and then again late last year when the game made its way to mobile.
Now its long and winding road has led "Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition" to the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and the game seems to have come full circle.
A takeoff on ancient text-based adventures, buttressed with point-and-click accessibility, the slow burn from Annapurna Interactive seems at home and comfortable in its anachronistic ways.
An engaging and engrossing slow burn, the writing and storytelling sizzle with the elegance of a page-turning novel.
Parsed into five acts, the narrative follows a loosely-connected group of travelers who are wandering through the fringes.
Themes including loss, regret and the yearning for something more creep through the clever, twisting plotlines. At different turns hilarious, sad and thought-provoking, the game has a way of haunting you in between play sessions.
Posing more questions than answers, "Kentucky Route Zero" thrives on its open-ended nature, with the meandering ease of a long-haul driver who is set on appreciating the journey. It's a road well worth heeding the call of its assuring, yet unsettling, rhythms.
After going dormant for nearly a decade, "Might & Magic" is roaring back to life with a remastered version of one of its better entries. "Might & Magic: clash of Heroes - Definitive Edition"
Due out today on Switch and PS4, the game has held up remarkably well since its original 2009 release on the DS and port to the Xbox 360 and PS3 in 2011.
Picking up steam on the fresh rerelease of the "Advance Wars" games on Switch. Both franchises focus on turn-based combat that grows increasingly complex. "Might & Magic" prioritizes formations, reinforcements and timely, momentum-shifting magical flourishes.
Divided up into five stages that span as many as 25 hours, the story seeps into deep, engrossing lore as it sets up slews of conflicts that test your strategic skills and ability to adapt to surprising developments that arise on the battlefield. There are also 1-on-1 and 2-on-2 multiplayer battle modes available.
The game looks and plays more smoothly than before, thanks to numerous upgrades that improve the flow and general quality of life. The integrity of the original release remains intact, and the jarring remnants of aged game design have all but vanished. The final product could easily pass as a new, retro-themed release.
With just as much to offer for longtime series fans as well as curious newcomers, "Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes - Definitive Edition" rises to the occasion with a burst of magic tricks to make the experience seem vivid, vital, and every bit as tantalizingly frustrating as the battles seemed in their heyday.
A remastered version of the 2011 DS game, "Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective" has re-emerged in remastered form on modern consoles.
Because the game was designed for such a quirky system, the shift to the controller and TV setup is awkward. The Capcom dev team's adjustments, however, manage to smooth out the rough spots.
The premise holds up well, and seems refreshingly imaginative once forgotten about and re-experienced.
You play as an amnesiac, freshly-killed ghost who can manipulate nearby objects to cause chain reactions. Your mission is to use your powers to solve the mystery of your own death.
Creative puzzles and sly writing keep a smile plastered on your face as you make your way through the charming levels. It brought me back to a time when I toted my DS around in my pocket at all times, to squeeze in a few minutes of play whenever I had a free moment.
In those days, it was easier to move your soul from object to object via touch screen, but I enjoyed revisiting the classic with the new control setup. They sure don't make 'em like "Ghost Trick" anymore, and likely never will again. Yet like its lead character, its spirit lingers around and continues to find new mischief to get into.
Rugged and sturdy, the OtterBox Defender ProXT feels solid enough to sit in a construction worker's holster.
Like the suit of super-armor Batman dons when he takes on Superman, the case turns your otherwise mortal smartphone into an overconfident juggernaut that stares danger in the eye and chuckles.
Bearing military standard drop-testing the two-piece cover protects your chassis from all sides, with an unobtrusive ridge that keeps your phone from emerging cracked from a nasty face-planting while not taking up too much real estate in your pocket.
While the case does add some heft to your phone, you get used to the change
quickly and can hardly bare to take the case off. Once encased, it feels as though you are tempting fate to handle the phone in its naked state.
I upgraded to the Defender ProXT from the stock iPhone 14 Pro Max case my phone came with, and feel the trade made for the textured, easily handlable grip is worth the sacrifices made in weight. I don't miss the slippery feel of the old phone, which caused many a drop to begin with.
Now as protected as the Caped Crusader in that awful movie that pitted him against the Man of Steel, my iPhone's superpower is now the knowledge that it won't crack, no matter the pressure I foist upon it.
Bearing a name that's a blast from the early 2000s past with a design that seems ahead of 2023, the Motorola Razr+ is as alluring as it is flamboyant.
Boasting the unmistakable magic of a foldable screen heretofore only seen in the uber-elite likes of the Samsung Galaxy Fold or Google Pixel Fold, the slim, compact phone is so flashy in its radiant "Viva Magenta" color that it would seem to be a crime to cover it up in an obtuse case.
The foldability is more than a gimmick. In its admirably portable -- and screen-protecting -- folded-up Flex View format, it lets you check notifications, keep pace with the time and send out voice or text messages via its 3.6-inch display, all with the phone free-standing without the need of a tacked-on peripheral.
When open, the true majesty of its 6.9-inch wingspan of an internal display shines through. An excellent choice for streaming, demanding gaming apps and social media juggling, it's easy to imagine the Razr+ catching on as a counterculture work device for the whimsical commuter with a nostalgic bent. It's also an ideal purchase for a parent looking to get their child a jaw-dropping device for free, or at least a deep discount.
Released today on the T-Mobile network, the $999.99 device is available for free to new customers, as well as existing customers who add a line or trade in a device on Go5G Plus. It's also half off on lower tiers Go5G and Magenta with a device trade-in.
Powered by a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, the Razr+ tiptoes along the cutting edge of performance, handling video and download needs on the silk-smooth T-Mobile 5G network.
Its external, 32MP camera, buttressed with an 8MP quad pixel burst shot -- triggered by a palm gestture that triggers a rapidfire succession of four pictures -- can handle action shots, portraits and video needs with ease, and the 12Mp front-facing camera is rock-solid with selfies. That one also has a mirror mode that turns the device, while in Flex view-mode, into a makeup checker.
To point out the obvious, Flex View is also great for setting up shots on a timer, as well as viewing video without needing to prop up the phone.
Waving its wand to conjure magical, inventive qualities, the Razr+ is an imaginative solution to a variety of smartphone annoyances. The reinvention can't help but put a smile on your face that you'll want to capture in Flex Mode.
"Final Fantasy" releases not only define each generation of gaming, they tend to set the standard of what's seen as possible for that generation's hardware, and point forward to what's lingering on the horizon in the fields of design and execution in the medium.
Each numbered entry -- save for the two insular MMOs -- in the franchise is a watershed event in the fabric of society. The dawn of "Final Fantasy XVI" is no different, and the ways it stretches and evolves say as much about the evolution of the JRPG as it does the franchise's tendency to invent, reinvent and recalibrate.
From the outset, a tremendous influence on action and realtime combat is apparent. The influences of the likes of "Devil May Cry" and "Resident Evil" have crept their way into the traditionally turn-based slugfests. Luckily for gamers who are more akin to the old way, there's a storytelling-focused mode you can opt for that won't task your dexterity and reflexes as much.
Heavily drawing on the literary tendencies of Frank Herbert and George R.R. Martin, the narrative is a sweeping tale of retribution, and sly political maneuvering amid a backdrop of simmering geopolitical strife.
The first mainline "Final Fantasy" game with an M rating, the story is characterized by brutal violence as well as adult language and themes. The tone feels like an assured, confident acknowledgment that much of the player base has grown up with the franchise, and is ready for a darker flavor of fantasy rather than family-friendly flights of fancy.
The PlayStation 5 exclusive, due out Thursday, will no doubt be the system’s killer app for any remaining series diehards who had been holding out, especially now that the system is finally widely available nearly three years after release .
Bolstered with a rich, deep tapestry of characters -- a continually updated pause menu glossary of connections, definitions and observations helps you keep track of the evolving slate of power players -- "Final Fantasy XVI" feels like the launch of a franchise as much as it does a single game. It may well take multiple playthroughs and endgame exploration to fully appreciate all the nooks and crannies of this vast, towering saga.
Knocking to your knees with thunderous conflicts, gorgeous cinematics and a stirring score, "Final Fantasy XVI" feels like a resounding triumph that sits alongside the series' most seminal entries. There is little doubt that it represents the future of the JRPG, and shines as a shimmering reminder that the present of the genre is a magnificent reflection of its past.
I always feared taking on "Dune," because the book and its sequels all looked so thick and imposing on bookshelves. Enter Audible, which allows me to plow through any book, no matter how dense or massive.
Frank Herbert's magnum opus may be dense, but it also pulses with life as it unfurls its space opera over a dry, dilapidated desertscape. The pioneering 1965 sci-fi epic informed countless works in the genre, especially "Star Wars" and "A Song of Ice and Fire."
Herbert particularly excels at subtle world-building, sprinkling in intriguing context as he keeps the storytelling arcs surging.
The ultimate teen empowerment fantasy, the novel paints a tale of heroism set against a complex geopolitical infrastructure. Herbert's prose sucks you into the harsh realities of survival on the arid, giant worm-plagued planet, which he crafts as a character to stand alongside his protagonists.
The tale unfolds in something akin to a modern open-world video game format, with a series of missions and boss fights. The combat descriptions, filled with strategy, feints and dramatic undercurrents, pulse with the flair of old-school sports writing.
"Dune" is magnificent, and I am ashamed I took so long to get to it. Now, whether I have the guts to take on the parade of sequels is another matter.
If you get a game called "Speed Crew," you might imagine the focus would be squarely on racing.
That's not the case, though, in this effort from developer Wild Fields. This is a pure, simple pit crew simulator, and the name of the game is resource management and deployment.
You and as many as three other players can grab your wrenches, jacks and spare tires, with the goal of getting the cars that roll in front of you back in top shape.
Dry and simple, the gameplay leaves much to be desired. There is a nagging, mobile game-style feel to the Switch title. There are also strange, incongruous design choices, such as the need to grab a new wrench for every tire that needs to be attached rather than use the same tool for all of the tires.
The story is something of a satire of the "Fast and Furious" franchise, with the protagonist taking the name "Dominion Torrento." Your put work helps your crew win several racing titles, with the setting evolving from the 1970s to the 2000s over 48 levels.
While there is some fleeting fun to be had here, the concept grows stale, and there's little payoff to the tedium.
If "Speed Crew" accomplishes anything, it's making you feel as though you're doing all the grunt work just so others can get the fame and glory.
The Google Pixel 7a is for those who want just about all of the capabilities of one of the top-flight smartphones without the bulk or expense.
Like last year's Google Pixel 6a and Google Pixel 6 Pro, the setup includes a dynamic, 64MP camera system complete with the Magic Eraser feature, which lets you touch up photos by easily removing photobombers.
While the camera isn't as great in low light, it takes solid pictures while zooming and captures speedy images on video. This is a device, powered by an upgraded Tensor G2 processor and 8GB of RAM, that will handle your social media needs with confidence.
A scaled-back version of the impressive Google Pixel 7 Pro, the $499 7a handles demands of gaming, apps and web surfing with ease, whether on WiFi or on T-Mobile's impressive 5G network. That's while rocking a crisp, 6.1-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate with 1080x2400 resolution. It's scratch-resistant, and the device as a whole can handle water splashes and accidental drink spills and toilet dunks without missing a beat.
The feature set has been boosted from last year's model, adding wireless charging, which lets you plop your phone down on a charger without the hassle of a cord.
On the downside, the battery struggles to keep up, requiring a mid-day recharge if you're taxing its capabilities to the limit. The 128GB storage is adequate, but possible to fill if you're a heavy video taker.
Overall, the 7a is a sizable if underwhelming upgrade to the 6a. If you skipped last year's model, that makes the upgrade all the more appealing. The new device is also worth a look for Pixel 6 Pro users who would prefer a svelte option that can out-perform the phone they're used to.
Strong, svelte and dynamic, the 6a is the budget-friendly high-end smartphone option to beat as 2023 approaches the midpoint.
After the main quest ends, your character's journey is just getting rolling, with new quests, rifts and treasure to seek out. Blizzard Entertainment's commitment to ongoing content additions is well established, and a reason why "Diablo III" is still wildly popular 12 years after release. Heck, even "Diablo II," re-released in 2021 with the subtitle "Resurrected," is in heavy rotation.
New to the family is "Diablo IV" -- due out June 6 -- a colossal undertaking for the developer that not only manages to lurk out from underneath the shadows of its predecessors, but will no doubt emerge as a giant in its own right.
"Diablo IV" thrives just as much on advancement as familiarity. From the jump, the game sinks you into its fresh take on its captivating realm -- a land called Sanctuary that's been ripped apart by demonic forces under the leadership of Lilith.
In the new outing, the focus shrinks away from the grandiose developments in the past, focusing more on the day-to-day politics and townsfolk who live, scrape by and die in Sanctuary. "Diablo" games have never been grounded, but this one feels as though it's deals with people with real problems.
The game unfolds in a vast open world with no loading screens, procedurally-generated dungeons. A morose, haunted feeling of dread hangs over the world like a weighted blanket, but within the gloom lies opportunity for thrill-seeking and fulfillment.
As always has been the case with "Diablo" games, and likely always will be, there is an irresistible gameplay loop that makes the progression grind a compelling thrill. You take down enemies, collect the loot they drop, craft and upgrade your armor, enhancements and weapons, then seek out bigger and badder enemies, who will drop even more valuable stuff.
The thrill of seeking out rare, ultra-powerful items is captivating, building the empowerment fantasy that the game casts upon you.
The upgrade economy plays into Angelic, Demonic and Ancestral power schematics, which bestow status effects
The classes, all drawn from previous games, include Barbarian, Druid, Necromancer, Rogue and Sorcerer. You're encouraged to develop multiple builds in parallel saves, with each character taking shape in wildly varied ways.
While season passes and cosmetic items are out there, looking to gobble up your credit card funds, at least there are no pay-to-win items for sale as there are in the franchise's mobile spinoff, "Diablo Immortal."
Everything in "Diablo IV" feels bigger and badder than in previous games. The in-game cut scenes are gorgeous and rendered with an enormous cinematic flair, and the combat and menu interfaces are silk-smooth and intuitive. Myriad quality-of-life improvements have been made, and as much as I love the previous two "Diablo" games, I can't imagine going back to them when "Diablo IV" has so much to offer.
While we're less than halfway through the year, the 2023 Game of the Year race already seems like a two-horse contest, with "Diablo IV" roaring down the back stretch to catch up to "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom."
While comparisons of the two are apples and oranges, it says something that when I carve out time for my gaming day, it's "Diablo IV" that's always top of mind. The dark obsession has returned, and like its predecessors, will no doubt be around for the long haul.
A new "Street Fighter" release is a hallowed occasion for fighting game fans. Because Capcom typically only releases one new entry per console generation, taking great care to build out each release into a platform unto itself, the hard reset of a new numbered release is nothing short of a paradigm change.
Seven years after the release of "Street Fighter V," "Street Fighter 6" -- due out June 2 -- enters the ring with flash, style and vigor to spare. Continuing the trajectory established by 2008's "Street Fighter IV," Capcom's deep, robust effort is a treat for fighter fans, even if there is little left for those who aren't hooked by the initial concept.
The game is divided into three main phases: the story-based Fighting Ground, the training and casual match-centered World Tour and multiplayer-focused Battle Hub. Now linked more firmly with Capcom's "Final Fight" universe, the game adds customization options that are new to the series. You're encouraged to build your own character, who will serve as your public-facing avatar for your online exploits.
The game launches with 18 characters, including a mix of stalwarts such as Ken, Ryu, Blanka, Chun-Li, with six new fighters to freshen up the mix.
Adding to the broadcast-style feel is a mix of play-by-play and color commentary, which helps boost the stature of each battle to tournament-level quality.
The e-sports focus permeates, with precision balance and a steady drip of choke points and momentum shifts meant to make for fantastic theater, reinforcing the legacy of "Street Fighter" as one of the most watchable and digestible spectator sports.
Among the hooks to keep players coming back for more, as well as emptying their virtual wallets, are season-driven Fighting Passes, cosmetics-focused Fighter Coins and challenge-based Drive Tickets, which reward gameplay success with premium items. Capcom says the purchases come with the assurance that they won't break the balance, with fighter boosts only affecting gameplay in World Tour and Battle Hub throwdowns.
The gameplay is meant to discourage turtling and routine, rewarding creativity and flourish with the Drive Gauge. With mechanics that let players unleashed parries, focus attacks and other specials, the wild, spirited fights will no doubt dazzle crowds.
While the barriers to entry for the upper echelons of online competition will always be intimidatingly high, "Street Fighter 6" challenges you to hone your skills as you aspire to climb the ranks. Bursting with an overall sensation of joyful exploration, the game quickly establishes itself as the contender to beat in the fighting realm.
Every bit as sad, weird and creepy as its antihero star, "The Lord of the Rings: Gollum" is a complete mess. What little value it has comes in the forms of laughing at what a sloppy, bizarre and insipid experience.
One of the worst major releases I have ever had the misfortune of playing, the effort from Daedalic Entertainment probably should have been put to death when it was delayed from its original 2021 release.
A mixture of stealth and platforming, the game is set decades after Bilbo Baggins wrested the One Ring from his control. In the custody of Gandalf, Gollum recounts his pathetic and desperate plight to the wizard as he scales walls and leaps across chasms.
Among the many off-putting aspects of the gameplay, the jarring standout is Gollum's awkward, unnatural jumping ability. He springs upward and outward like some sort of demented jack-in-the-box, and you have to force back a chuckle because the sight is so awkward.
The writing isn't much better. The story unspools with the grace and precision of middle school fan-fic, with the everpresent, unanswered question lingering about why it is this consequence-free story needs to be told.
Any goodwill built up by the "Middl-earth" series falls to the wayside. This is a far different animal, and it's something that's best quickly dismissed and forgotten. This poor oddball should have been ignored and left to rot in the caverns.
Adding some Lego flavor to the open-world driving concept popularized in series such as "Burnout" and "Forza Motorsport," "Lego 2K Drive" is a breezy, family-friendly romp on four wheels.
As you'd expect in a Lego-flavored racing game, you're allowed to unleash your creativity, crafting whatever wild, brick-fueled concoctions you can dream up.
Working your way up through various racing circuits and side missions to claim the Sky Trophy from rival Shadow Z, you boost, drift and jump across diverse terrain.
Set in the realm of Bricklandia, the effort from the dev team at Visual Concepts Loads of "Mario Kart"-style power ups spice things up and add elements of paradigm-changing chaos to the races.
Your ride adapts to the challenges that await it, transforming into a boat when you hit the water. The traversal is forgiving enough to be accessible to beginning gamers without making advanced racers feel as though they've got training wheels on. Nuanced controls can make the difference between victory and defeat.
As with the best Lego games, in-jokes and sight gags abound, with a lighthearted, free-wheeling sense of humor that's a joy to take in. Split-screen racing allows for couch competition, making it an ideal game for parents to play with kids.
While some mission objectives are obtuse, you're best off avoiding walkthroughs and exploring Bricklandia at your whim. There are enough Easter eggs hidden around the map to make your journey a fun, satisfying experience.
While some of the writing falls flat and not all of the jokes connect, "Lego 2K Drive" thrives as a charming playground that bursts with surprises and whimsy. Like a pair of fuzzy dice dangling from your rear-view mirror, "Lego 2K Drive" is superfluous and silly, but also too enjoyable to part with.
The best thing a remake of an overlooked film can do is draw attention to the original.
A remake of the 1992 Ron Shelton-directed sports comedy, which starred Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson, the Hulu-exclusive takes the bones of the original, updates the humor and basketball moves and rolls the ball onto the court.
The result is a mixed bag, with a C-level cast and some plot points and character motivations that don't register.
Sinqua Walls plays Kamal, a flamed-out hoops phenom who angrily works a job as a UPS driver. He partners with Jeremy (Jack Harlow), a former Gonzaga star who tore both ACLs and hopes to recover enough to get his career going again.
Kamal and Jeremy both need money, so they team up to start a street ball hustle, with the eventual goal of starring in an -- oddly -- three-on-three tournament that could net them big dollars.
Jeremy's situation is hard to fathom, because he reasons that he needs to save up funds for an experimental treatment for his injury, yet is so good on the court that it's unclear why he needs the surgery at all.
As with the original, the best moments come on the court and in trash-talking exchanges. While the film's perspective is understandably updated for the modern age, there are still plenty of charming jabs that make their way through.
If you can set the insipid story aside and enjoy the movie's better moments for what they are, you'll have enough fun to make your way through to the insipid, if oddly satisfying, conclusion.
Otherwise, you may be better off bailing out and finding the 1992 film, enjoying it for its unsanitized charm.
Molly Bloom's tell-all about the Hollywood upper crust's poker addiction is fascinating. She doesn't hold back in exposing celebrities and power players, particularly sticking it to Tobey Maguire, who became her rival as she set up a standing poker game to the stars.
Shameless and bulging with an ego on the rampage, Bloom is also freely self-deprecating as she explores her insecurities and ambitions, making you feel as though you're on the ride along with her as she lures in free-spending whales to succumb to their gambling addictions and need to impress their peers.
My favorite part is the conclusion, in which Bloom -- who would end up serving prison time for her role -- says she would gladly do it all again. She is not a reformed criminal, but a proud rebel against society who treasured her role and will no doubt find another way to attain the dizzying heights she once ascended.
The Warner Bros. Games wizards outdid themselves with this one. The floating wand is the coolest gaming pack-in since the "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" night vision goggles. I show off what the collection has to offer in this video.
While "Star Wars" has gotten more fulfilling game adaptations than most other film franchises, there has yet to be a game that fully captures the essence of some of the saga's top-tier storytelling.
"Star Wars Jedi: Survivor" -- due out Friday -- is the closest attempt yet to nailing the wonder and majesty of some of the series' most legendary character arcs.
The sequel to the criminally overlooked 2019 game "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order," "Survivor" follows the exploits of Cal, one of the few remaining Jedi spared the scourge of Order 66, as he tries to stay a step ahead of the Empire's clutches.
The dev team at Respawn Entertainment takes the bones of that game and launches them into the stratosphere for the franchise's current-gen debut.
Back are the intoxicating Force powers, which you can tweak, upgrade and trick out as you advance through the story. As with the likes of "Elden Ring," "God of War" and "Deathloop" -- some of the greatest narrative triumphs this generation -- the key is consistent, blisteringly intense writing. The yarn told in the game can match up with the better Disney+ series offerings.
While the main thread is compelling enough, there are bountiful side quests to distract you, including bounty hunter pursuits and puzzles in Jedi shrines. There is always plenty to see, do and explore. Most importantly, the sense of giddy fun always abounds. The game has a consistent way of making you feel like you're a little kid pretending to be a Jedi in your backyard.
Exuberant and energetic while also somber and emotionally resonant enough to stay grounded, "Star Wars Jedi: Survivor" is an impressive accomplishment that will no doubt stand as one of the marquee games of the year, as well as a shining light of what's possible in a story-driven "Star Wars" game.
I respect authors who seek out and deliver stories that people actively try to prevent them from telling. In facing down Roger Ailes at the peak of his power, Gabriel Sherman fought the good fight, put his professional and personal life at risk, and managed to wring out the definitive biography of one of the most imposing media moguls of our time.
What emerges isn't anything close to a hit piece, but a rather sympathetic portrait of a complicated figure. You get a sense of grudging respect for Ailes' moxie and stubbornness in Sherman's prose.
While the author doesn't shy away from exposing the more embarrassing skeletons in Ailes' closet, "The Loudest Voice in the Room" reads like a fair, vibrant portrait of a man determined to succeed and push his agenda through at any cost.
Of course, it's impossible to tell Ailes' story without discussing his sadism, rage and monstrous tendency to exploit women. Sherman nails the facts that juxtapose the fall of Bill O'Reilly with Ailes' ability to sweep his indiscretions under the rug while retaining his power for years. A precursor to the "me too" movement, the postscript to the book is as intriguing as the work itself. The world may never see another Ailes, and that is no doubt for the best.
